“When a man and woman spend a night together, they should quickly proceed with the formal marriage procedures to conclude matters.”
“…..”
“If you don’t want to be a fool who gives away your chastity and gains nothing in return by dawdling needlessly.”
As expected, Sandra knew about that night’s events. Veronia was not surprised, as she had already anticipated this.
‘It’s just… revolting to view marriage as a contract exchanged for chastity.’
She recalled boldly promising Killian that she would break off their engagement.
But it was clear as day that Killian would be in a difficult position if the Emperor sent a letter to the Duke regarding the marriage schedule.
She didn’t want to be remembered by him as someone who broke her promise.
‘Since it’s come to this, it would be better to meet Killian tomorrow and explain everything from the beginning.’
She couldn’t keep avoiding it just because it was awkward.
The remaining month ahead. She wanted to properly conclude things so as to leave no regrets.
“I will follow your instructions. I’ll meet with Lord Killian tomorrow and discuss the marriage.”
“That’s right, good girl. That’s my pretty daughter.”
Pleased with Veronia’s docile response of lowering her tail, one corner of Sandra’s red lips curled up in satisfaction.
Sandra released her grip on Veronia’s chin and slowly caressed her cheek.
It felt creepy, like snake scales brushing against her skin wherever the fingers touched.
“The marred face… well, it should be fine since you refused meetings for the past week under the excuse of not feeling well.”
‘To think she even knows the contents of the letters exchanged with Killian! How?’
Just how much did the Empress know? Surely she didn’t know about the plans being made with Onyx? For a moment, frightening and terrible possibilities came to mind, making it hard to breathe.
Sandra seemed to enjoy observing Veronia’s startled expression.
You’re just a mouse in my hand anyway, that’s what the Empress’s gleaming eyes seemed to say.
[This is the timeline separator]After the meeting of the great nobles ended, Killian immediately made his way to the Imperial Princess’s palace.
‘I’ll finally get to see her!’
He wanted to run at full speed, but he held back.
There were many watching eyes within the imperial palace, so he couldn’t behave rashly.
Knock knock.
The time it took for the door to open after knocking felt excruciatingly slow.
At last, the door opened and a maid came out to guide Killian.
Veronia was sitting at a tea table set up on the terrace.
Veronia greeted Killian with a smile.
“Lord Killian, welcome.”
“I pay my respects to Your Highness the Imperial Princess. I was very worried hearing that you have been unwell lately.”
“I’m much better now.”
Though she smiled brightly while saying she was fine, Killian couldn’t trust Veronia’s words.
It was because of the wound remaining on her lips.
Noticing Killian’s gaze fixed on her lips, Veronia smiled awkwardly.
Even if the imperial palace healer’s ointment was highly effective, it couldn’t completely heal a wound in just one day.
“Unfortunately, my lips that were chapped due to the fever haven’t fully healed yet. I’m sorry for showing you this appearance, Lord Killian.”
“…..”
Killian looked at Veronia with his mouth tightly shut.
Killian had trained in various martial arts, including swordsmanship, since childhood.
The shape of wounds from being hit was different from those caused by chapping due to fever, and Killian could tell the difference.
‘It looks like a wound from being hit rather than chapping… But who would dare to… the Imperial Princess?’
It was an unbelievable sight even after seeing it with his own eyes. The situation was not easy for Killian to comprehend.
‘The people who poisoned Her Highness are now even resorting to physical violence? Just what is happening in the imperial palace?’
Anger welled up inside him. But he didn’t want to show such negative emotions in front of Veronia whom he was meeting after a long time.
Killian clenched his molars and reached for the steaming teacup.
Unaware of Killian’s feelings, Veronia spoke directly.
“It seems the imperial family wants to hasten our marriage. Father might soon send a letter to Duke Drea.”
“…Is that so?”
“But don’t worry. As I’ve said many times before, my desire to break off the engagement with Lord Killian remains unchanged.”
One of Killian’s eyebrows twitched as he listened silently. It was quite irritable.
Soon he put down the teacup he was holding and calmly opened his mouth.
“I have no intention of breaking off the engagement with Your Highness.”
“What? What do you mean…?”
Veronia looked at Killian with surprised eyes at the unexpected statement.
“It’s exactly as I said. I wish to continue our engagement. And…”
“…..”
“And when the time comes, I intend to marry Your Highness.”
This person… has really gone mad.
Veronia was dumbfounded by Killian’s declaration that was almost like a confession.
‘Didn’t he say he didn’t like Veronia? That he disliked her constantly clinging to him and arbitrarily initiating skinship? Why has his heart suddenly changed…?’
Could it be… that just as she was under pressure from the imperial family, Killian was also under pressure from his family? No, that couldn’t be. Veronia shook her head.
‘Duke Drea wasn’t very keen on entangling with the imperial family through marriage from the beginning. If anything, there would be pressure from the family to break off the engagement, right?’
Veronia didn’t know how to take Killian’s sudden declaration to maintain the engagement.
‘Could it be because of that night?’
She thought it could be possible, since Killian was a person with a strong sense of responsibility.
The bewildered inner thoughts were clearly visible on Veronia’s face.
Although he had expected this kind of reaction, a corner of Killian’s heart still ached a little.
Their gazes tangled in mid-air.
Killian moved his lips to continue speaking, but Veronia beat him to it.
“If it’s because of that night, you don’t need to think that way. It was an impulsive one-night affair, so there’s no need to dwell on it. You don’t have to try so hard.”
Was it just an illusion that Killian’s blue eyes looked sorrowful? Veronia was surprised by the fact that Killian had such a variety of expressions.
“But what should I do if I can’t help but keep thinking about it no matter how hard I try?”
“What? What do you mean…?”
Veronia asked again, unable to fully grasp the meaning of what she had just heard.
Killian slowly opened his mouth.
His voice seemed to tremble slightly.
“For a very long time, since I was young, I wanted to break off the engagement with Your Highness. The position of the imperial son-in-law, the place beside Your Highness, was too burdensome for me.”
“…..”
“But now it’s different. I’m not sure why yet. I don’t like hearing talk of breaking off the engagement from Your Highness’s lips. It saddens me, as if you’re constantly trying to push me away. Even I find myself strange.”
What, what is this? Is this a love confession? Surely… no. It can’t be. Then what is this man trying to say? What’s the point…?
Blink blink, Veronia stared at Killian with a blank expression.
She had to rack her brains to grasp the true meaning of Killian’s calmly delivered words.
As a result, she had no time to manage her expression, ending up with a dazed look.
Once again, Killian’s voice was heard.
He wasn’t usually talkative, but now words poured out as if a dam had burst.
“Your Highness may say otherwise, but I’m different. I keep thinking about that night we spent together. I keep thinking about our kiss. I keep thinking about… Your Highness. Even though I’m trying not to, I still do.”
“…..”
In that moment, Veronia’s face turned bright red. There was no need to try and grasp the true meaning anymore.
‘Killian is… thinking about me? This is clearly… saying he likes me! Wh… what should I do!’
Thump thump, it felt like an earthquake in her heart.
‘This can’t be! Killian is the male lead, and I’m the villainess? His destiny isn’t me? But… he says he likes me? That Killian, me…’
Veronia was beside herself.
She didn’t know how to react to his unexpected sincerity.
Killian’s state wasn’t much different.
The original plan was to simply make it clear that ‘he didn’t agree to the break-up Veronia had proposed.’
But he ended up saying everything without restraint. Even the true feelings he had kept inside.
‘Ugh… you fool! Your Highness will surely feel burdened!’
Cold sweat formed on his tightly clenched palms, and his mouth felt parched.
Finally, Veronia opened her mouth.
But her brain, full of heat, wasn’t functioning properly.
“I… I see. I… I’ve heard your thoughts. Do you… have anything else to say?”
“…That is all.”
“I see…”
An awkward silence followed briefly, and soon their private tea time ended in a fluster.
It was to the point where neither could remember how they said goodbye or parted ways.
‘What should I do! What should I do! What am I going to do!’
‘You… fool! Hah… What on earth did I say…’
Both of their minds were so noisy that they couldn’t properly hear what they themselves were saying, or what the other was saying.
That night, Veronia lay in bed but wasn’t sleepy at all.
When she closed her eyes, her mind was filled with thoughts of Killian.
“To think the male lead’s feelings have changed… This is a huge change.”
It was a completely different issue from the episode being slightly twisted.
As it was a romance novel, the main characters’ emotional changes greatly influenced the entire story.
“…Could it be seen as a completely different novel now?”
It was natural since the male lead’s romantic interest had changed.
‘The male lead’s romantic interest!’
Hehe, laughter burst out involuntarily.
She felt good.
“Killian… says he keeps thinking about me! He likes me!”
Chuckle chuckle, the laughter didn’t stop.
It was natural. After all, Killian was the protagonist she had liked throughout her school days.
“I… I’ve succeeded!”
Veronia, lying down, kicked her feet in the air and grinned widely.
Soon after, her eyelids slowly closed.
Even in her dreams, pleasant things seemed to be happening as she kept smiling softly.
It seemed she was having the sweetest dream ever.
But Veronia’s sweet dream didn’t last very long.
The next morning, Linda’s tense voice woke Veronia up.
“Your Highness! This is terrible!”
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
